Folding awning arms



Jun 27, 1933. c HE|$ER 1,915,529

FOLDING AWNING ARMS Filed Oct. 12, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 27, 1933. H. c. HEISER 1,915,529

FOLDING AWNING ARMS Filed Oct. 12, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 45 awe rm 1559/27 LHez'ser Fatented June 27, 1933 nane UNITED sT TEsPATeNr easier;

HENRY C. HEISER, OF IVIIDDLEIBURG, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ASIR'U]? COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO FOLDING AWNING ARMS Application filed October 12, 1932. Serial No. 637,410.

The invention relates to folding awning arms, and more particularly to improved means for yieldingly urging the folding arms toward extended position to aid in opening the awning.

In prior awning arm constructions of this type, tension springs have been provided for urging the arms toward extended posltion. It is highly desirable, if not essentlal, for the proper operation of an awning, to place a predetermined amount of tens1onupon the tension springs, commensurate with the size, weight and angularity of the awnlng; and it has therefore been necessary to provide for adjustment of the amount of tension upon the springs. With tension springs, however, the provision of simple and effective means for accomplishing accurate ad ustment in a quick and easy manner, is extremely awkward and diflicult.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide compression spring means for urging the arms toward ext-ended position.

Another object is to provide compression spring means which may be easily and accurately adjusted to meet the requirements of awnings differing in size, weight and angularity.

A further object is to provide adjustable compression spring means arranged to normally exert a uniform force upon the arms for various angular positions of the awning.

A still further object is to provide a detachably compression spring assembly which may be quickly and easily connected to various types of awning arms. 3

And finally, it is an object of the present invention to incorporate all of the foregoing objectives in a simple and economical construction which is easy to install and operate, and which may be quickly and accurately adjusted to suit a variety of conditions.

These and other objects are attained by the improvements comprising the present invention, which may be stated in general terms preferably as includinga bracket, a pair of laterally folding awning arms pivotally mounted at one end on the bracket, and compression spring means located between the bracket and the adjacent arm for urging the arms toward extended position, said compression spring means including a link pivotally connected at one end to the bracket and having a washer on its other end portion, a

spring housing member connected to the adj acent awning arm and engirdling said link, a flange on the inner end of said housing member, a compression spring in the housing member around the link and located between the washer and the flange, and means for adj usting the washer longitudinally on the link.

Referring to the drawings forming part hereof Figure 1 is a side view of a pair of awning arms in extended position, the arms being mounted on one form of wall bracket and having the improved compression spring means applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a front view showing the arms in folded position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken 011 line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. f is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1, showing parts of the compression spring means in section;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. at showing the parts in the folded position of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the invention as applied to a different type of bracket.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, a pair of laterally folding awning arms, comprising the inner arm 10 and the outer arm 11, is pivotally mounted upon a wall bracket 12, which is secured to the wall 13 of a building.

As indicated in dot-dash lines, a roller 14:, on which the awning fabric 15 is rolled, is positioned upon the building wall 13 in awell known manner, and an awning pole 16 is secured at the forward edge portion of the fabric 15. I The outer end of the outer arm 11 is pivotally connected to the awning pole 16 as shown, so that when the awning is rolled up upon the roller 14, the arms 10 and 11 will fold laterally to the position shown in Fi 2.

When it is desired to provide for adjust- 50 the link 27 is preferablycylindrical, and has ment of the angularity of the awning arms relative to-the wall, a wall bracket 12, such as is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, is employed. An arm mounting bracket 17 is preferably pivotally mounted for movement in a substantially vertical plane upon the wall bracket 12 as at 18. Means for'moving thebracket 17.about the pivot 18 to ad-.

just the angularity of the arms, may include a bolt 19' rotatably mounted in a lug 20 on the bracket. A crank member 21 may be secured to the pivot 18, and the bolt 19 is otally mounted for lateral swinging move-" ment on the bracket 17 by the usual hinge bolt 24:. The outer arm 11 preferably has a hinge connection with the outer end of the inner arm 10, said hinge connection comprising a hinge bolt 25 upon the arm 10, the arm ll'being pivoted thereon for lateral swinging movement. r j

The improved compression spring means preferably comprises the adjustable compression spring assembly, indicated generally at 26, which is adapted for quick attachment to the awning arms and to one of the brackets 12 and 17. In Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the compression spring assembly 26 is shown detachably connected to the arm mounting bracket 17 but it will be understood that the same may be detachably connected to thebracket 12 without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The adjustable compression spring assembly 26 preferably includes a rod or link member 27 which may be detachably connected at one end to the arm mounting-bracket 17. Preferably, cars 28 are formed upon the bracket 17, and the inner end 27 b of the link 27 is detachably connected between the'ears 28 as by the pivot screw 29, which passes through both ears and may be screwed into one of them. The otherend portion 27a of the washer 30 slidably positionedthereon.

A spring retaining member is indicated generally at 31, and may include a bracket 32 which is de'tachably connected to the i11- ner arm 10 as by the screw 33. The bracket 32 preferably has an angular portion 32a provided with a circular aperture 34:. The spring retaining member 31may also'include a cylindrical housing 35, which is secured at one. endto the bracket 32 as by entering the housing 35 inthe aperture 34 and abutting its swagcd end 36 against the portion 32a of the bracket 32. i y

The cylindrical housing 35 is preferably adapted to engirdle substantially all of the portion 27a of the link 27, the inner end of housing 35 engirdling an intermediate portion of the rod 27 and preferably having an inturned flange 37, the inner edge of which is radially spaced from the link 27 a substantial distance toform an aperture 37. A

.washer 38 is preferably provided around the link 27 inside of housing 35 and adjacent to the flange 37, and the Washer 38 is considerably larger in diameter than the aperture 37 so as to abut flange 37.

A compression spring 39 is preferably positioned around the link 27 within the housing 3a and between washers 30 and 38, that is, between washer 30 and the inner end of the housing 35 to'react between the members 27 and 31. Means for adjusting washer 30 longitudinally on link 27 to adjust the amount of compression upon spring 39,

various types of awning arms. A stop shoulder 42 is preferably provided on the intermediate por'tion of the link 27 adjacent the inner end of housing35, so that when the compression spring assembly 26 is detached from the awning arms and bracket, the stop shoulder 42 will abut washer 38 and prevent the several parts of the spring assembly from becoming disengaged.

The aperture 37 is formed considerably larger thanthe link 27 to permit the link to movesomewhat, laterally within the flange 37 during swinging movement of the arms. This slight movement occurs due to the fact that the link 27 swings about the pivot 29 which is spaced from the pivot hingebolt 24. Thus with this particular construction, the link 27 may beconnected at various points on either of the brackets without interfering w th the proper operation of the compression spring means.

Iii-Fig". 6, the improved compression spring means is shown applied to awning arms which are mounted directly on the wall bracket 12 by means of binge bolt 24, which is rotatable inears 45. integral with the bracket 12. As shown in Fig. 6 the link 27 is pivotally and detachably secured to ears 28 formed on the bracket '12": "1 l T The adjustable compression spring assembly 26 may be shippedas an assembled unit with the stop shoulder42 abutting washer 38. The asseinblyl26 is theneasily installed upon various types of foldinga'rms by securing the inner end 27?) of link 2-7 to ears 28 or 28 which are provided on one of the brackets, by means of pivot screw 29, after which the bracket 32 is attached to the adjacent arm 10 with screw 33. In locating screw 33 in the arm 10, the end 37 of housing 35 is pulled slightly away from shoulder A2 with the arms in extended position as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, to place a small amount of initial compression on spring 39.

. After the improved compression spring means is installed, the amount of compression on spring 39 may be quickly and easily varied to suit various conditions of size, weight and angnlarity of the awning, by screwing or unscrewing nut 40.

In the operation of an awning embodying my invention, assuming the arms to be in their extended positions shown in Figs. land 4, as the awning is rolled up the arms will fold laterally to the folded position shown in Fig. 2. During this folding movement of the arms, the link 27 will move washer 30 to the left, and the flange 37 of the spring retaining member 31 abutting the washer 38 will cause the initial axial compression on the spring to be increased as shown in Fig. 5, the aperture 37 permitting any slight lateral movement of the link 27 due to the location of its pivot. Thus the compression spring 39 is constantly'urging the arms 10 and 11 toward extended position, so as to aid in the unrolling of the awning, and the initial axial compression placed upon the spring 39 functions to aid in maintaining the awning taut and compensate for wind play and the like.

With the type of awning bracket shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, wherein the link 27 is attached to the arm mounting bracket 17, it will be seen that the angularity of the arms may be adjusted without affecting the amount of initial compression placed upon the compression spring 39.

The improved compression spring means is simple and economical toconstruct, and extremely easy to install. Also, the amount of compression may be quickly and accurately adjusted to suit a variety of conditions.

I claim:

1. In awning arm construction including a bracket and a pair of folding arms pivotally mounted at one end on said bracket, com-' pression spring means located between the bracket and the adjacent arm for urging the arms toward extended position, said compression spring means including a link pivotally connected at one end to the bracket and having a washer on its other end, a spring housing member connected to the ad jacent arm and engirdling said link, a flange on the inner end of said housing member, and a compression spring in the housing around the link and located between the washer and the flange.

2. In awning arm construction including and located between the washer and the flange, and means for adjusting the washer longitudinally on the link.

3. In awning arm construction including a wall bracket, an arm mounting bracket pivotally connected thereto, and a pair of folding arms pivotally mounted on the arm mounting bracket, compression spring means for urging the arms toward extended position, said compression spring means including a link pivotally connected at one end to the arm mounting bracket and having a washer on its other end, a spring housing member connected to the adjacent arm and engirdling said link, a flange on the inner end of said housing member, a compression spring in the housing around the link and located between the washer and the flange, and means for adjusting the washer longitudinally on the link.

4. Awning arm construction including a bracket, a pair of folding arms pivotally mounted on the bracket, a link pivotally connected at one end to the bracket and having a washer on its other end, a spring retaining member secured to the adjacent awning arm and engirdling an intermediate portion of the link, and a compression spring located around said link between the washer and a portion of the spring retaining member.

5. Awning arm construction including a bracket, a pair of folding arms pivotally mounted on the bracket, a link pivotally connected at one end to the bracket and having a washer on its other end, a spring retaining member secured to the adjacent awning arm and engirdling an intermediate portion of the link, a compression spring located around said link between the washer and a portion of the spring retaining member, and means for adjusting the washer longitudinally on the link.

6; Awning arm construction including a wall bracket; an arm mounting bracket pivotally connected thereto; a pair of folding arms movable to and between folded and extended positions pivotally mounted on the arm mounting bracket; and means for urging the arms toward extended position, said means including a member connected to the arm mounting bracket, a member connected to an adjacent arm, and a spring reacting between said members, said spring being under initial axial compression when the arms are in extended position and under increased axial compression when the arms are in folded position.

7. Awning arm construction including a bracket; a pair of folding arms movable to and between folded and extended positions pivotally mounted on said bracket; and means for urging the arms toward extended position, said means including a member c011- nected to said bracket, a member connected to an adjacent arm, a spring reacting between said members, said spring being under initial axial compression when the arms are in extended position and under increased axial compression when the arms are in folded position, and means for adjusting the initial axial compression of said spring. I

8. Awning arm construction including a bracket; a pair of folding arms movable to and between folded and extended positions pivotally mounted on said bracket; and means for urging the arms toward extended position, said means including a member connected to said bracket, a member conneoted to an adjacent arm, and a spring reacting between said members, said spring being under initial axial compression when the arms are in extended position and under increased axial compression when the arms are in folded position.

9. Awning arm construction including a wall bracket; an armmounting bracket pivotally connected'thereto; a pair of folding arms movable to and between folded and extended positions pivotally mounted on the arm mounting bracket; and means for urging the arms toward extended position, said means including a member connected to one of the brackets, a member connected to an adjacent arm, and a spring reacting between said members, said spring being under initial axial compression when the arms are in extended position and under increased axial compression when .thearms are in folded position.

10. Awning arm construction including a a bracket; a pair of folding arms movable to and between folded and extended positions pivotally mounted on said bracket; and means for urging the armstoward extended position, said means including a member detachably pivotally connected to said bracket, a member detachably connected to an adjacent arm, and a spring reacting between said members, said spring being under initial axial compression when the arms are in extended position and under increased axial compression when the arms are in folded position.

I11 testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

HENRY C. HEISER. 

